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When Things Go Wonky: Family Stories For Children by Grace Jolliffe

About When Things Go Wonky: Family Stories For Children by Grace Jolliffe:

If only they would leave me alone.

They’re stubborn, they’re cranky, they boss me about.

I can’t get rid of them because they live in my house.

That’s the problem with families you can’t get away from them – somehow you’ve got to work it out.

A collection of funny stories to help children when family life turns upside down.

In The Runaway Granny, all Natasha wants is for her mum to stop picking on granny or at least pretend to be nice. But her mum’s the stubbornest woman in Ireland. She wants Granny to knit and sew and behave herself like a proper old fogey.

But Granny is the second stubbornest woman in Ireland. She hates being boring nearly as much as she hates anyone telling her what to do. She wants to wear purple and play darts in the pub. Most of all she wants to be free. So now she won’t come home at all.

The Squidge is about a forgotten boy. Luke’s got a new baby sister. Everything went wrong when she came along. Now everyone ignores him – it’s like he disappeared.

Luke knows it’s all his stinky sister’s fault but how can he make them notice him again?

Happy Face is about a girl whose family changed. They used to be three, but now they’re only two. Samantha thinks two is not enough and she will do anything, even try magic if it brings her dad home again.

The Tree Hugger tells the story of a new girl in school. Shalmalah dresses funny and acts funny. Debbie thinks she’s a bit hippy drippy. Debbie says she should try and change but Shalmalah doesn’t want to change, and now the bullies won’t leave her alone.

Their mums want them to be friends. But how can she be friends with the girl that everyone hates?

Lamb Chops and Peas is about a family who gets lost on a camping trip. Jenny’s mum and dad would do anything for fresh air. Jenny’s not so sure especially when they get lost. When strange noises start coming from a sleeping bag, Jenny thinks it’s time to go, but mum and dad have other ideas.

Cat Man Jack moves into a rattling old house that nobody likes. Everyone thinks he’s strange and that his house is full of rats. The neighbours want to get rid of him, and the kids call him names. John knows it’s wrong but when you’re friends are laughing – don’t you have to join in?

Skateboard Sally’s family is the original fit family. Mum and dad ran the Dublin Marathon holding hands, but Sally just thinks that’s ugh! She doesn’t want to walk for miles and miles swinging her arms like a demented gorilla. She wants to be like auntie Cherry. She likes clothes, makeup and music. So does Sally but that’s not allowed in Sally’s house, and now she’s grounded forever and ever.

Freckle-Face is what the other girls call Nicola because she’s got milky skin, bright red hair and there’s hardly a space between her freckles. She wants to change her face, so she looks like the girls in magazines, but her mum says no because she’s gorgeous just the way she is.

Then Nicola finds a wallet, and it’s full of cash. That could change everything but can she do it?

Grace Jolliffe’s children’s stories were originally broadcast on Ireland’s RTE Radio One.

Fans of Jacqueline Wilson will love these stories about real families.

Notes for parents – themes include:
Coping with a new baby in the family
When parents divorce
Bullying Conflict in the family
Loss and sadness
Peer-pressure

Author Bio:
Grace Jolliffe was born in Liverpool but now lives on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. Her 1970s based fast-paced crime thriller, Piggy Monk Square, was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers Prize, optioned for film by Willy Russell, and broadcast on Ireland’s RTE Radio One.

She used to teach script-writing and creative-writing and has also written and produced documentaries and short films for Television and Film Festivals.

She now focuses full time on writing novels and When The Sun Shines, The Sunshine Girl, Sweet Little Things and Tell Me Magic Lies are currently available on Amazon.

She has recently completed another novel in her Liverpool series and Kindness and Strangers will be available shortly.

CONTACT GRACE

You can contact Grace at her websites:
www.gracejolliffe.com and www.practicalcreativewriting.com